


lean on

by xocean



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types, The Avengers - Ambiguous Fandom
Genre: Crack, Drabble, Fluff, Gen, Humor, Post-Avengers (2012), Pre-Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Steve Rogers sleepfest, Team Dynamics, Team as Family, TonyNat brotp, pre-AOU, pure fluff, team crack fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-08
Updated: 2015-10-08
Packaged: 2018-04-25 09:59:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 786
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4955962
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xocean/pseuds/xocean
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Steve falls asleep on Natasha's shoulder. Naturally, Tony takes a photo.</p>
            </blockquote>





	lean on

**Author's Note:**

> Just a quick drabble on Avengers' fun family feels. I love these guys.

There are many things Natasha has learned over the course of working closely with him, but maybe the one thing people don't know about Steve Rogers is that he can sleep. 

As in, the man can  _really_  sleep. 

The first time it happens, they're strapped in the back of a jet on a flight back from Botswana, where they've just foiled a mercenary weapons base. The entire operation had been highly exhausting, particularly for Thor, Bruce, and Steve, who had had to take the brunt of the attack which lasted about three hours while the rest carried out infiltration to disable and retrieve highly sensitive weapons. So Clint is piloting the jet and Tony is busy extrapolating information on the weapons while Bruce and Thor are passed out in various states of exhaustion.

Natasha had been strapped in next to Steve, where she  _thinks_  they are having a conversation on how to better strategize the team's strengths and weaknesses next time, when a silence follows Natasha's well thought-out suggestion of placing Tony as the second line of attack instead of the first, and then there's a soft, warm weight descending upon her shoulder. 

It takes her a minute to realize that Steve had not been listening to her; she'd have to save her suggestion for another time, and yes - Captain America is asleep on her shoulder. 

The next minute Natasha spends trying to work out the logistics of this. Steve is a remarkably taller, bigger man than her, and Natasha is frankly marveling at how he's managed to maneuver himself into a half lying down, half sitting position that enables him to comfortably rest his head on the curve of her shoulder. All while having a belt strapped around his waist. 

After this, Natasha wonders if she should get up and let Steve lie down more comfortably - which, really, as much as she likes helping out her teammates, Natasha's feeling quite sore from a particularly aggravating mercenary with two knifes the length of her arms - when suddenly, there's a loud  _click._

Her head whips around. "Tony." 

Tony is highly engrossed in his screen, it would seem. "What's up?"

Natasha doesn't say anything, just levels a steady look on him. Tony returns it, his eyes widening in a touch of innocence. They keep up this action for quite some time. 

"Dammit." Tony mutters, eyes watering. "Never engage in a stare battle with a spy." 

"I can do this all day." She promises him silkily. 

Tony's lips thin, then he blinks and looks away with a pout. "I'm not deleting it."

"Tony." 

"You guys look absolutely adorable. Cute, even. Warms the cockles of my heart."

" _Tony._ "

"It's good for the team morale, you know, it's a comfort. You're doing excellent HR work right now."

Natasha sighs and lets it go, because by this point she's learned that sometimes its best to let Tony have his little victories. She sends a deadly glare his way, which he pretends not to see (but Natasha sees him gulping anyway) then turns to rest her head against the back of the jet. Steve mumbles a sound and sleeps on. 

A day later, the photo of Natasha looking at Steve's sleeping head on her shoulder appears, framed, in their lounge in the Tower. Steve's blue suit is dirty and torn with blood on some places. Natasha's black suit is immaculate but her Widow's Bites are off and her hair is mussed, darkened slightly with smoke from their mission. Despite that, Steve looks absolutely content - and Natasha's face is soft. 

"Aw, that's adorable." Bruce remarks.

"You never let me sleep on your shoulder," Clint complains. 

Thor laughs. "What an excellent portrayal of our familial dynamics."

Steve likes it. "Lets send it to Fury." 

"Please don't kill me." Tony says. 

Natasha doesn't comment, but she doesn't remove the picture, either. Although she does continue to glare at Tony every now and then, just to keep him on his toes. 

* * *

Time goes on and slowly, the pictures build up. Steve leaning on Bruce's shoulder while Bruce stares out of the window, looking peaceful with his headphones on. Steve and Thor, leaning on each other like a pair of mountains with singe marks all over them. Tony, posing with a silly grin while putting bunny ears on Clint, with his head on Steve's shoulder, both sleeping in the QuinJet.

Natasha puts up one photo of Steve leaning on Tony, both fast asleep. Tony's still in his Iron Man suit, with the faceplate flipped up and his mouth wide open in a snore. Clint makes fun of this by impersonating Tony at breakfast for two days. Tony promises Natasha revenge.

The collection has transformed into a wall now.


End file.
